Private Tales Give Me Bloodsport

[Kael]

Kael observed as Larrainth very pragmatically made her choice. He studied the frame for a moment, the widths of his clavicle, the depths of his cheek, the length of his bangs, and so forth. Kael considered the girl's words.

"No plan yet. Just collecting tools." Kael responded. He pondered their next move. They could search the camp more, but based on the girl's testimony this camp wouldn't know the location of another. If the coded message was true they’d be likely to run into another band closer to Cortosi territory.

“Where do you want to start looking?” Kael asked. He figured the new face would be more useful the closer they got, but it was still undecided if they would actually cross.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

Vittoria nodded her head back to the way they had been heading.

"I want to continue our mission. Spare those that would know something about the attack..." She peered at him, tilting her head. "Perhaps a new approach. You take on faces as easily as putting on a shirt, no?" Larrainth's face rearranged to something... pleasant. It was still a mask, despite how well it suited her features, but Vittoria was raised to be a weapon. There was never any softness to her.

"You are to infiltrate alone. Mark those you want spared for questioning with this rune, and they will be untouched by my influence." Blood would still be spilled, a spectacle still to be made. Vittoria had to work with Kael in gathering what intel they could get to aid their side in this war. "Are you adept with runes or college magic, Kael?"

All she needed was a sign from him to start taking down soldiers.

 

[Kael]

Vittoria's words could be interpreted as an order. An order of a peer, that would cause conflict with many a dreadlord. Kael made no such fight, but nodded at the plan.

"I can read and place such runes." Kael responded. 'Adept' was perhaps a stretch of his capability with rune magic, but he did some have some training on marking targets for others to strike, or finding the target marked by another.

"My range it not great though. Detectable around twenty meters for those looking, Perhaps thirty at most." He looked over at girl.

"I trust that will be enough?"

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

A twitch at her mouth grew into a small smile. "That will be plenty."

When she was already a weapon by the time it came to her final year at the Academy, what more was there to teach Vittoria Larrainth? When her peers were trying to best their past record best, Vittoria was honing the second skill she was gifted. She always wondered if this gift was meant for her or for her twin, the one she had consumed in the womb. A predator before birth, that was something she liked to pride herself on.

Vittoria ran a hand down the front of her face, her very image beginning to disappear. It was known she was able to cloak and conceal her knives into what appeared to be pockets found beneath her flesh, but now her very presence was disappearing. This, this was what she had been working on in the past couple of months. With the aid of King's magic, she was able to learn how to enhance her learning to make herself better.

"Where you go, I will follow."

It was time for the foxes to be let into the hen house.

 

[Kael]

"How useful." Kael commented. Internally he was conflicted, finding it equally impressive and terrifying that the unmaker could also unmake her appearance. Part of him wondered what games she played with Basmarc using such talents. He decided he did not want to know.

In an instant Kael assumed the shape of the slain Cortosi scout. He gained a couple inches in height, and was about ten pounds slighter. He took another glance at the original before deciding his impersonation was close enough. Taking care to match his clothing and taking the man's armaments he made his way along the direction they had agreed.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

For the sake of travel, Vittoria materialised back to normal form. She led them both, choosing for silence between them. If conversation was not needed, then there was no need to fill the quiet with such talk. They were on the precipice of violence, and this called for a time to prepare for bloodshed. Where soldiers would sharpen their blades and don their armour, Dreadlords would prepare themselves to exert their use of magic.

Vittoria had felt the strain of depleting magic once before. She had torn down a township in a massive move of destruction. One could mistake that the earth shifted, and in turn swallowed up various buildings and people, but it had been all the design of Larrainth. A great show of making homes turn to hell.

Today, she wanted to play predator. Let them run away in vain, and the moment they thought they reached safety, Vittoria would rip them out without protection.

"Stop." She said after an hour. "You should walk on the road now. Let them see you coming."

 

[Kael]

Kael's companion re-materialized and chose to lead the way. Kael kept up, sporting the new face as he did so. Like Vittoria he kept silent. Their plan was agreed upon, so the only reason to speak would be to alert the other of new information, or to change the plan.

"I don't think that's the right move." Kael said. "They're scouts, and they know they're not supposed to be here. If they see me on the main road they'll be suspicious." A gear turned in Kael's mind.

"Unless you want me to play the desperate runaway and herald your coming?"

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

A hum sounded deep from her throat, turning her head to peer at the Stranger's face Kael wore. "Precisely. Are you able to provide your own wounds, or would you like my assistance in that?"

The way she asked had been as if she were merely speaking about the weather. Casual conversation was really not something she was capable of, not when her first nature was to keep someone unnerved. Not many were truly under that effect, but even more, the rare person that could be so unbothered and in turn curious of her... Vittoria learned to adapt. It was how she came to court Kilien Basmarc after all.

"I want them on high alert. I want to see what weapons and defense they ready for arrival... but Kael? Do convince them there is more than one Dreadlord on their way." She smiled.

 

[Kael]

While many might have found Vittoria's request odd, to the Goblin mind there was a practical artistry to it. She was in essence, offering to help him with his disguise. The same way another woman might ask to help another with makeup. Kael shook his head in response, but there was no malice or detest in it.

"Unnecessary. Let me try a few things." Kael responded. He let out a breath and gritted his teeth. His left arm retracted until there was an uneven cut through his foream. The right side of his face grew a dark pink, then adopted a softer visage and his eye became uncovered as his eyelids folded into his skin. Other evidence of burns and cuts made their way through his appearance. A grunt made its way through his teeth.

Vittoria would be able to tell that while Kael could do such things, they were not pleasant to endure.

 

[Vittoria Larrainth]

"Gruesome." The words sounded negative when in fact, her approval had been made. Her eyes lingered on the evidence of a battle survived, nodding to herself as she deemed it will do exactly as she planned it would. "You will get their attention."

Vittoria had her own ideas too. Let the Cortosi look to the road, unknowing that she would be slipping into their camp at the side of another Anirian. She had plans of unmaking trees in the forest they were about to leave, to make commotion and drum up fear.

"Lead the way."

She disappeared from sight again, but the soft steps of her following Kael would only just be heard for the earth gave cushioning to sound. Once they hit dirt, Vittoria was well versed in moving only when the other was. It would not matter to being so careful once they were inside the camp.